Machine for and method of lining can ends



, C. W. GRAHAM. MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF LINING CAN ENDS.

APPLICATION HLE'D JULY 30,1917.

1,392,492. Patented Oct. 4,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l k J v INVEETOZ WITNESSES:

I'BY

' %M W ATTORNEYS C. W. GRAHAM. MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF LINI'NG CAN ENDS- 1 UNITED, sT r s ALLENnALnnEw JE sEY, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN can CHARLES w. GRAHAM, or

PAT NT gorrlcs.

COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, 11. Y., vA co,nronn'rron or NV'EWJVERSEY.

MACHINE ron AND MErHonoE DINING can ENDSQ Be it known that I, CHARLES GRAHAM, a citizen of the: United- States, residing'in .Allendale, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines. for and Methods of Lining Can Ends, of whic the following is a specification.

This invention relates in generalto machines for assembling thin, flat paper or similar gaskets with can ends toproduce can ends having paper lined flanges adapted to be interfolded with the flanges-of the can bodies to form hermetic closures for said bodies. V

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a machine of this character adapted for use in small establishments requiring only. a few hundred or a thousand lined ends per day.

My invention contemplates the construction of a simple semi-automatic machine for assembling gasket liners and can ends, which will be cheapjtoconstr uct, consist of few parts, and which may be operated, if desired, without power equipment. Gasket lining machines embodying my present invention are intended for use by the packers of products, who pack. too few cans per day to justify the use of the relatively higher speed, full-automatic can end lining machines provided for use in the establishments of the larger packers. i v

A further object ofthe invention is the provision of a manually controlled and oprated semi-automatic machine which may be used by unskilled attendants after a few simple instructions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description when considered in connection. with the ,accompanying drawing illustrating -a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawing, V

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the upper portion of the machine showing. can ends and cut gasket liners on opposite sides of the assembling station, and the operators hands approaching each other to bring-them into assembling relation;

2 is an isometric view of the complete machine, showing a gasket liner and a can end in assembling relation and the Specification of Letters Patent. "P t t O t 4, 1921 1917. Serial No. 183,396.

operators foot just touching the treadle to' assemble the gasket with the can end;

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the assembling head, showing the parts in the same position as in Fig. 2; a

Fig. 4: is a like vertical section showing the assembling plunger in a partially descended position just engaging the gasket liner and the lower can end plunger elevated to .hold the can end up to the orifice through which the gasket is passed in assembling;

Fig. 5 shows a like sectional view to Figs. 3 .and 4 but with the assembling plunger fully depressed and the gasket liner seated in the recess of the flange of the can end.

Fig. Gis a sectional view similar to Fig. 3)

but showing a different position of some of the parts as the-plunger is ascending from the position of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view at approximately right angles to that shown in Figs. 3 to 6; 1

Fig. 8 is a view of the under side of the bed of the machine of the surface immediately under the assembling plunger, showing the detail of the can end lifting pad trigger slide;

Figs. 9- and 10 are views of a trigger operating bar; h Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on line 11-11 in Fig. 6; and

Figs. 12 and 13 are horizontal sections immediately under .the top plate at the assembling station, showing in detail, the

means for, holding and .centering the canends relative to the positioned cut gasket in the orifice above. I

The embodiment of the invention shown on the drawing comprises ahead 1 supporting and guiding a plunger 2,'which is operated'by a foot lever 3, through connecting link 4 and lever 5,.which'is fulcrumed at the rear end of the head 1, the plunger, both levers and the connecting link beingcounterbalanced by a weight 6. The head 1 is mounted on a table or bed, the top surface of which consists of two bed plates 7 and 8 arranged at different heights, the lower plate 8 extending underthe upper plate 7 at the center 9 at thefront and therebeyond con- 1 nectingwith an incline 10, which extends to the left.front corner 11' of the machine. Immediately under and in alinement with the plunger 2 is a partial circular aperture 12 in the upper plate 7 for gaskets 18, this of the machine, are secured two can'end positioning pins and 16. A spring 17' is secured at one end to the left front edge of the lower plate 8 and in conjunction with the pins 15 and 16 positions and holds can 7 ends 19 in .alinement with the plunger 2 and aperture 12 ready to receive a gasket liner. Let into the lower plate 8 and in alinement with the plunger 2 and aperture 12 is a can end lifting pad 20, which is normally held down with its upper face flush with the upper surface of the lower plate 8by a slidable trigger 21, which engages with an angular groove 23 in the pad stem. The pad 20 is forced up by an open helical spring 22 when the trigger is released. The trigger'21 is a plate with an elongated opening 24, one end of which is beveled to engage in a groove 23 in the stem 20 of the pad 20 and the inner end of the plate has a projection 25 I at one side upon which is revol-ubly mounted a roller 26. The trigger 21 is normally held in engagement withthe angular groove 23 by an open helical spring 27. The trigger 2.1 is movably held in its seat by a gibbing plate 28, which has across its inner end an angular upward projection 29. A trigger operating bar 30 is pivoted to the lever 5 back of where the lever 5 is pivoted to the plunger 2 and hangs down through opening 3]. in the head 1. This bar has a cam shaped lower end 32 normally gravitating into contact with the gibbing plate projection 29,

' its extreme end being a little above the roller 26 when plunger 2 is at its highest position shown in Fig. 3. 7

At the left of the center 9 of the front on the lower plate 8 and extending the length of the incline 10 is a can end guide strip 33, and at the lower end of the incline 10 is an orifice 34. A small shelf 35 is secured to the left front leg. A can end stack 36 is lo- ,cated on the shelf 35 in alinement with orifice 34. In the operation of the machine, the gaskets 18 are placed on the plate 7, and the can ends 19 are placed on the plate 8, both in superimposed relation with edges overlapping, as shown on the drawing, so

. that the top one may be drawn ofi' readily by'the finger tips. 7 I

The operator seated in front of the machine, using both hands simultaneously, places the finger tips of the left hand on the front overlapping portion of the top gasket 18 (see Fig. 1), and through frictional contact of fingers draws it from the pile across the surface of the plate 7 to the front of the machine and places it in aperture 12, resting it on supporting rib 14 (see 'Fig. 2) and at the same time, with the fin- (see Fig- 2-12 and 13)- This can end thuspositioned displaces the last assembled can I 7 end and pushes the same through between the spring 17 and the positioning pin 16 into the space between the shoulder 37 and the guide strip 33 (see Fig. 12). This in turn displaces a can end previously assembled, pushing the same onto the incline 10 down which it will gravitate between the guide strip 33 and the shoulder 37 and fall through the orifice 34 (see Fig. 12) onto the stack 36 (see Fig. 2).. I

When the hands have been withdrawn and are reaching for the next gasket and can end, the operator depresses the foot lever 3 with the foot and in so doing, through the link 4, depresses the lever 5, forcing down the plunger 2 and the trigger operating rod 30. When the plunger has been forced down about one third of the way to the upper surface of the upper plate 7, the cam shaped end 32 of the trigger rod 30, acting against the fixed angular projection 29 of the gibbing plate, will force the trigger forward (see Fig. 4) releasing the can end lifting pad 20, which is at once lifted by the spring 22 carrying up the positioned can end 19 until the curled edge of the can end contacts with the lower edge of the circular part of the aperture 12. The plunger 2 continuing down contacts with the gasket 18 resting on the supporting rib 14 and snaps it past the rib 14 into the full sized circular portion of the aperture 12 be low the supporting rib 14, and then snaps it past the curled edge of the can end 19 into the bottom of the annular groove formed by the curled edge and shoulder of the can end 19. The continued downward motion of the plunger carries down the gasket 18, the can end 19 and the can end llfting pad 20 until the top of the lifting pad 20 is flush again with the surfaceof theplate 8. At this time the trigger rod 30 has moved down so that the upper part of the cam shaped end. 32 has passed below the plane of the trigger roller 26. The roller 26, under the influence of the spring 27 acting on plate 29, now passes through an opening 38 pro-' lot can end.- This having beenaccomplished, the operator removesor raises his foot from the foot lever 3, allowing counterweight 6 to return the various parts to their-normal position. sition the cam shaped end 32 of the trigger rod 30 passes between the body of the trigger plate 21 and the trigger roller 26. When the lever 5 and the plunger 2 have resumed their normal position the cam shaped end 32 of the trigger rod 30 gravitates over the trigger roller 26 into contact with the angular projection 29 in position for the next cycle ofmoveme'nts;

7 It is thought that the invention, and many of its attendant advantages will-be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the-parts Without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: 1. -A machine nular gaskets with flanged andshouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed having a shouldered aperture arranged to permit an operator to deposit a gasket therem, a canend support beneath sald aperture'and arranged'to permit an operatorzto'deposit a can end thereonin axial alinementwith the gasket 1n said aperture,

centering means yieldable in a radial direction relative to the can end and engageable with the edge of the canend and a plunger operable at will for assembling said gasket and said can end.

-2. A machine for assembling thin, annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination, superposed.

gasket and can endqholding means arranged to permit an' operator to manually place a gasket and can end therein respectively, and a plunger for moving said gasket toward said can end in assembling said gasket and can end, a spring actuated plunger for lift ing the can end, and means'for holding down said spring actuated plunger while the can end is being placed. 7

A machine for assembling thin, an nular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination super posed gasket and can end holding means arrangedto permit an operator to manually place a gasket and can end therein respectively, said can end holding means having devices for yieldably engaging the edge of the can end, and aplunger for moving said can end toward said gasket in" assembling said can end and said gasket. 7

4, A machine for assembling thin, annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends,'comprising' in combination super- In returning to its normal po-" for assembling thin, an-

posed gasket and canend holding means arranged to permit an operator to manually place a gasket and can end therein respec tively, centering devices including means yieldable radially relative to the can end and engageable with the edge of the can end, and means moving said gasket and can end toward each other in assembling said gasket and .can end. i

5. A machine for assembling thin, annulargaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising incombination means for receiving a gasket liner and a can end in spaced relation and both manually delivered, a spring actuated plunger for lifting the can end, a foot operated plunger for assembling said gasket'and said can end when held in said means and for depressing the spring-actuated plunger, devices for locking down the latter, and means for releasing said locking' devices.

6. A machine for assembling thin annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed arranged to support at one hand of the operator va plurality of gaskets and at the other hand can ends, spread out in separate piles, said bed being flat and exposed for the sweeping movement of the hands of the operator thereover, an assembling station havingan opening accessible by the hands of the operator from opposite sides of the opening and comprising centering means for holding separately a gasket and can end in alined relation, and a plunger operable at will for assembling said gasket and end when in alinement at said assembling stamovement of the hands of the operator thereover to the assembling station, and the assembling station being accessible by the hands'of the operator from opposite sides of'the same, means at the assembling station for receiving a can end and a gasket from the hands of an operator and positioning them in alinement, and a plunger for assembling said gasket and can end.

8.. machine for assembling thin annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed arranged to support at one hand of the operator a plurality of gaskets and at the other hand can ends, spread out in separate piles, said bed being flat and exposed for the sweeping movement of the hands of the operatorthereover, an assembling station having an opening accessible by the hands of the operator from opposite sides of the opening and comprising meansfor holding a gasket and can end in alined relation, a plunger operable at will for assembling said gasket and end when in alinement at said assembling station, a'spring-actuated lifter for raising the can end toward the plunger, means for holding down said lifter, and means for releasing the lifter.

9. A machine for assembling thin annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed arranged to support at one hand of the operator a plurality of gaskets and at the other hand can ends, spread out in separate piles, said bed being flat and exposed for the sweeping movement of the hands of the operator thereover, an assembling station having an opening accessible by the hands of the operator from opposite sides of the opening and comprising centering means for holding separately a gasket and can-end in alined relation, a plunger operable at will for assembling said gasket and end when in alinement at said assembling station, and a lateral discharge slide for the lined can end.

10. A machine for assembling thin annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed ar-' ranged to support at one hand of the operator a plurality of gaskets and at the other hand can ends, spread out in separate piles,

said bed being flat and exposed for the sweep ing movement of the hands of the operator thereover, an assembling station having an opening accessible by the hands of the operator from opposite sides of the opening and comprising centering means for holding separately a gasket and can end in alined relation, a plunger operable at will for assembling said gasket and end whcn in aline ment at said assembling station, a shoulder in said opening for supporting the gasket,

a lifter for moving the can end toward the supported gasket, means .for raising the lifter, a lateral discharge way for the lined can end,: and means for holding the lifter with the lined can end in line with said discharge way.

11. A machine for assembling thin, annu lar gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed having a centrally disposed assembling station and horizontally extended feed surfaces arranged to support horizontally extended piles of superposed gaskets and can ends located respectively on oppositesides of said assembling station within easy reach of an operator, said feed surfaces being at different levels and exposed for the sweeping movement of the hands of the operator thereover to the assembling station, and the assembling station being accessible by the hands of the operator from opposite sides of the same, means at the assembling station for receiving a can end and a gasket from the hands of, an operator and positioningthem in alinement, a plunger for assembling said gasket and can end, and a lateral dischar e way for the lined can end atsubstantially the level of the lower feed surface along which the unlined can ends are fed.

12. A machine for assembling thin annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed having a centrally disposed assembling station and horizontally extended feed surfaces arranged to support horizontally extended piles of superposed gaskets and can ends'located respectively on opposite sides of said assembling station within easy reach of an operator, said feed surfaces being at different levels and exposed for the sweeping movement of the hands of the operator thereover to the assembling station, and the assembling station bein accessible by the hands of the operator flrom opposite sides of the same, means at the assembling station for receiving a can end and a gasket from the hands of an operator and positioning them inalinement, a plunger for assembling said gasket'and canend, a lateral discharge way for the lined can end, a lifter for the unlined can end arranged to be depressed by the plunger, a treadle for actuating the plunger, and means controlled by the treadle for holding the lifter at substantially the level of the lower feed surface and of said discharge way.

13. A machine for assembling thin, annular gaskets with flanged and shouldered can ends, comprising in combination a bed having a centrally disposed assembling station and horizontally extended feed surfaces arranged to support horizontally extended piles of superposed gaskets and can ends located respectively on opposite sides of said assembling stat-ion within easy reach of an operator, said feed surfaces being at different levels and exposed for the sweeping movement of the hands of the operator thereover to the assembling station, and the assemblin station being accesible by the hands of t e operator from opposite sides of 14;. A method of applying gasket liners to flanged and shouldered can ends, which consists in placing at the two hands of and in front of the operator and at opposite sides of an assembling station the ring liners and can ends respectively in horizontally extended piles of superposed articles, manually selecting a gasket and a can end from said conveniently arranged sources of supply and manually sliding them toward each other to said assembling station and deposit- I ing them in holding devices and in spaced axial alinement, and thereafter assembling the same by axial pressure set in operation by the foot of the operator While the hands are selecting another gasket and a can end for subsequent placing in said holding devices.

Signed in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES W. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

D. F. MENNIS, F. H. BEoKMAN. 

